Milking-machine.



J. L. HULBBRT.

MILKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1907.

Patented 001'.. 4, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

lll

lla

TTO- NET5.

II. L. HULBERT.

MILKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED' 821219, 19o?.

PatentedI 0011.4, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NVENTOR @/bHNLJfUzBEJfT.

fr TOJZNEYJ.

J. L. HULBERT.

MILKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED sBPT.9,1907..

Patented Oct. 4, 1910.

4 SHEETSASHEBT 3.

j T T GINE Yes'.

XVJTNESSES.

J. L. HULBERT.

MILKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED sBPT.9,1907.

Patented Get. 4, 1910.

' of the machine.

vao

f -j i `T01-IN L. HULBERT, `0F HOLLAND PATENT, NEVVYORK.

MILKING-IVIACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ct. At, 1910.

Application tiled September 9, 190?. Serial No. 391,909.

To all who/:agit may concern:

Be it known that-l, JOHN L. HULBERT, of Holland Patent, in the county of neida and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful llmprovements in Milking- Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide certain improvements in milking machines, whereby' it is simplified, made efiicient and better adapted to fulfil the requirements.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the set of teat cups constituting a part of the machine, together with portions of the tubes connecting the set of teat cups with the remainder Fig. 2 is a detailed view showing the tube connections from a. diHerent point of view than that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan or top view on a large scale of a set of teat cups and the means for supporting the same. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of one of the teat cups. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of one of the teat cups and connected and coperating parts. Fig. 6 is a side elevation from what may be termed the'inner side of one ofthe teat cups and certain accessories. Fig.' 7 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of valve mechanism employed in the construction. Fig. 8 is a horizontal cross sectional View of the parts shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the pulsator in connection with other details and accessories.`

- 12 is a cross sectional view.

The essential working part of the machine is, of course, the set of teat cups, which teat cups consist of a rigid shell l5 within which there is provided in the construction, as illustrated, three encircling inflatable tubes 16, 16,16. The infiat-able tubes 16 make two laps or turns around the interior of the casfingexcept at the point where the nipple 16a is 'provided through which the tubes are in- Hated and deflated. inside of the encircling tubes 16 there is provided a lexibletubular lining 17, which is passed around the upper Hanged end and the lower flanged end of the teat cup shell, and held in position at these points by the rings 18 and 19 having hooked edges snapping over the flanged ends of the shell. This feature of the invention is not claimed in the present application, since it forms the subject matter of claims in my copcnding applications Serial Nos. 439,109 and 556,136, filed June 18, 1908 and April 18, 1910, respectively. The lower ring 19 has a tubular extension 19, which receives the adjustable funnel-shaped closure 20 of the lower end of the teat cup. Each teat cup is provided with a vertically-extending elongated member 21 constituting -a valve casing and aHording fluid passages and projecting downwardly in an arm carrying the horizontal valve casing 22. The funnelshaped closure 20 is adjustably supported on the part 22 by being provided. with a cylindrical tubular extension 20 received in a tubular clamp 23 on the part 22, and the closure 20 is held in its positions of adjustment bv a screw 24 controlling the clamp 23.

The member 21 is provided with an elongated vertical valve chamber 25 containing the valve consisting of the closely fitting head portion 26 and the stem portion 27'. The stem portion of this valve fits closely but slides freely through the fixed sleeve 28 provided in thevalve chamber, and which reduces the area at this point. The up er portion ot' the valve chamber 25 is provl ed with the three ports a, and c connected respectively with the upper, middle and lower infiatable tubes 16. In the member 21 there is also provided a Huid passage Way 29, which at its upper end opens into the valve `chamber 25 and intermediate of its length and just above the sleeve 28 also is placed in communication with the valve chamber 25 through a port normally closed by a spring-held puppet valve 30. In the valve casing 22 there 1s provided a reciprocatin valve 31, which, at its outer end, is reduce in diameter, as indicated at 31, whereby the available ressure receiving surface on the end is redlilced from` that provided on the opposite end of the valve 31. The casing 22 has fittings 32, 33 and 34 for the ready attachment of three flexible tubes. The valve 31 is provided with a passage 31", which, when the valve is in the position shown in F ig. 5, places 33 in communication with 29, and when the valve is in the opposite or left-hand position places 33 in communica.- tion with 25 through a small hole or passage teat cups there is provided 'a bar 40, which isl at 25?. The valve 31 is also provided with a passage 31, which', when the valve in the position shown in Fig. 5, places 32 1n com; niunication with the teat cup, and when the valve is in the feit-hand position closes the passage through 32. The teat chamber of the teat cup is vented through the passage 311 and the opening -35 through the wall of the valve casing 22 when the valve 31 1s 1n the left hand position. The valve 31 is also provided with a. cross passage 31, which, when the valve is in the right-hand posltion shown in Fig. 5, places 33 1n communication with the small-opening 25*l into the bottom of the valve chamber 25. The valve 31 is also rovided with still another passage 31,-

whic 1, when the valve is in the left-hand' position laces 32 in communication with 29 throng a small port 91, which takes a position opposite 29, and when the valve 1s in the right hand position, as shown 1n Fig. 3, is entirely idle.

For the'purpose of supporting the set of connected by short chains 41 or other suitable flexible connections with the u per ends of the teat cups, and is connected by a substantially vertical chain or connection 42 with the lower end of the arm projecting downwardly from'the teat cups. The bar 40 may be su ported by a strap passing over the animals hack, and 'it will be noted that the teat cups are sup orted from the bar in the manner describe which allows considerable freedom in placing them in desired position.

In connection with the set of teat cups or several sets of teat cups, if desired, there will be provided a closed receptacle having a cover or head 51 on which the pulsator 52 is preferably mounted. A partial vacuum will be maintained in this receptacle 50 through the medium of a suitable exhausting apparatus attached in any desirable way, as, for instance, by means of the tube 53. From a. suitable fitting, as 54, communicating with the interior of the receptacle 50, a flexible tube 54", which will be termed a milk tube, will be carried to the set of teat cups, and after branching into branches 54al make connections with the fittings 32 of each of the several teat cups. From a suitable pumping or pressure supplying apparatus, a fiexible air tube 55 is brought, which, after passing through a stop cock 56, branches and 1s connected by short flexible tubes 55L with the fittings 33 on the lower ends of the several teat cups, including their accessories. From the two fittings 57 on the top of the pulsator, two flexible suction tubes 58 are carried to the set of teat cups, and each of these tubes 58 bianches into two members 58, which respectively are attached to the fittings 34 before mentioned.

In order to place the partial vacuum ing through the passage 22a.

maintained in the receptacle 50 in communication first with one of the tubes 58 and then in communication with the other tube 58, there is provided in the pulsator a rotatable valve 59 having passages adapted to place one of the fittings 57 in communication with the interior of the receptacle 50, as shown in Fig. 10, and the other fitting 57 in conununication with 'the outer atmosphere, also as shown in Fig. 10. As this valve 59 is rotated, it reverses the arrangement whereby first one of the fittings 57 and then the other is placed in communication with the receptacle 50 and with the external atmosphere. For operatin or rotating the valve 59, there is provide 'an engine consisting of a single acting cylinder (30 with piston and connecting rod 61 connecting with a crank pin on a rotary shaft 62, having a bearing in the pulsator frame and carrying on 1ts outer end a fly wheel 63. The crank in disk (i4 is provided with a screw thread.) on its periphery, which meshes with gear teeth 59a on one end of the valve 59 so that the engine runs and the crank .disk rotates the valve 59 will be slowly rotated. The portion of the same air or fiuid under pressure which is utilized through the tube 55 for operating the teatcups may be used to drive the engine, and provision for a connection for so doing is made in the fitting (35. From this fitting a passage is provided through the throttle valve 66 ,to the cylinder, and a valve mechanism is provided in that ortion of the shaft 62 indicated by 62a for controllin the inlet andexhaustto the cylinder, the ldetails of which it is not deemed necessary to specify. But it may be noted that the exhaust from the cylinder takes place through the passage 62b through the end of the shaft 62. I,

lVhen the partial vacuum is produced in the receptacle 50,v as before mentioned, the same is communicated through the medium of the tube 54 to the fitting 32 on the set-of teatcups. Vhen the valve 31 is in the lefthand position, being the opposite position from that shown in'Fg. 5, the passage to the closure at the lower end of the teat cup will be closed and the suction vwill tend to maintain the valve in the left-hand position act- In one of its positions the rotary valve 59 of the pulsator also makes the suction or partial vacuum existing i'n the receptacle 50 available through one of the tubes 58 and the fitting 34 to the other end of the piston valve 31.v \Vhile the vacuum pressure is the same on both ends of the valve per square inch, the areaof the right-hand end of the valve exceeding that of the lefthand end the valve is moved over by this suction to the right-hand position as long as the suction at the fitting 34 is maintained. When in the left-hand position the fiuid under pressure, preferably compressed llJ' auer

air, supplied at `fitting 33 finds its way through the passage way 31,b in the valve and the small openlng 25, and acting onnthe stem portion of the valve 26 serves as a spring to move itinto itsupper position as s own in Fig. 5 o the drawing. When the piston valve 31 is moved to the right-hand position, the fiuid under throiligh 33 not only is sti l available under the lower end of the stem ofthe valve 26, but also passes throu rh the v)assage 29 to the upper end of this va ve, and, the area of the valve bein greater than that of the stem, the valve (Iropsdown exposing successively the ports a, b and @opening into the several inflatable tubes. These tubes are thus successively inflated and the inHation continues until the valve 59 of the pulsator has rotated into position to cut off the connection through the tube 58 with ythe interior of the receptacle 50v and put the same in communi-l cation with the atmosphere. When this takes place the suction on the right-hand end as shown in Fig. 5 of the valve 31`is relieved and the continuous suction on they left-hand end of this valve causes it to shift to its left-hand position. While in its righthand position the passage l'throughthe valve 31 places the suction through the tube 54 in communication with the lower end of, the teat and the milk is received and passed i 0H through this tube 54 to the receptacle 50. Nhen the valve 31 shifts to the left-hand position, the suction on the lower end of the teat is relieved by opening the same to the atmosphere through the passage 31d and the opening 35. The suction through the tube 54, however, is made available at this time through the passage 31g and passage 29 and opening of valve 30 to deflate the encircling tubes of the teat cup. In the defiation of the encircling tubes provision is made for taking the air out through the opening closed by the valve 30, which is spring held and automatically opens, and the movement of the valve 26 atl the same time to the up! per position under the influence of the compressed air supplied in the lower end of the valve chamber does not interfere with the defiating of the encircling tubes.

It is evident that the tubes in the four teat `cups could be simultaneously inflated and deflated, in which case only one of the fittings 57 would be required on the pulsator, and the tube 58 would be divided and attached to all four of the fittings 34, but I preferthe construction shown .wherein provision is made for operating one pair of the teat cups alternately with the other pair.

In case of a short teat where the full length of the teat cup is not required, the lower portion can be cut out of action by adjusting up moreor less toward the dotted position shown in Fig. 5 the funnel-'shaped closure 20.

ressureI suppliedA Inlfigs. 7 and 8 is shown a modified form 0f construction of valve casing and accesseries, which may be employed instead of the 'valve 31 with its casing and accessories. Referring to these Figs. 7 and 8, 70 is the lower end of the valve chamber similar to 25. 71 is the lower end of passage similar to 29. The valve casing 72 receives the cylindrical reciprocating valve 73 and is provided with three fittings 74, 75 and 7 6 adapted for attachment of hose, the first being similar to 32 previously mentioned and having a continuous suction, the second being similar to 34 and having intermittent suction, the third being similar to 33 and supplied with a constant fluid pressure. Communicating with the lower end of 70 is a passage 77 which opens into the valve chamber through a port 78. A passage 79 is also provided which connects with 71 and opens into the valve chamber of the casing through two ports 80 and 8 1. The valve 73 is similar to the previously described one in that it is of small area at one end and larger at the other, the smaller end operating in a small cylinder at one end and the large end operating in a larger cylinder at the other end. This valve 73 is provided with a cross port 82 and a vertical passage or port 83, the former adapted to register with ports 78 and 80 and also Witha port 81 and 84 the latter opening to the atmosphere. The port 83 is adapted to register with the passage through theJ fitting 74 and with an opening into the lower end of the sleeve 85, which is similar to 23 previously described, and receives and supports the teat cup closure 20. When shifted tothe left-hand position, as shown in Fig. 7, the' passage 83 is adapted, in connection with the others shown in F ig. 7, to vent the passage in 85 through hole 90.

It will be noted that there is also provided from 74 a passage 86 to the left-hand reduced end of the valve, while the righthand end of the valve takes a position substantially at the fitting 75. The operation vof this construction is substantially the same as the one previously described, except` that instead of utilizinga suction to defiatethe encircling tubes of the teat cups they are simply exhausted tothe outside atmosphere.

It is evident that other modifications and changes in and from the construction herein described may be made without departing fromv the spirit of my invention.

`What I claim -as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination in a milking machine of a set of teat `cups having depending arms, a supporting bar approximately in the plane of the top of the cups, flexible connections from said bar to the tops of the teat' cups and to the lower ends of said arms, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a milking machine of a. teat cup having an inflatable linin a downwardly rojectin arm and a ra ial valve case in t e axial ine of the teat cup, a funnelshaped adjustable closure for the lower end of the .teat cup mounted on said valve casing and adapted to enter the lower end of the teat cu inside of thelining more or less, substantia ly as set forth.

3. The combination in a milking machine of a rigid c lindrical teat cup shell, a plurality of in atable tubes in the shell encircling the teat chamber thereof a closure for the lower end of the teat chamber adjustable into the chamber, means for applying an intermittent suction to the lower end of the teat chamber, and means for supplying iluid under pressure to said inflatab e tubes and deflating them, substantially as set'forth.

4. The combination in a milkin machine, of a rigid teat cup shell, a plura ity of in- Y flatable tubes in the shell encircling the teat chamber thereof, means for inilating and deflating said tubes, a closure for the lower end of the teat chamber adjustable to a p0- sition within the chamber, and means whereby said closure may be adjustably held more or less within the field of action of the inilatable tubes, substantially asset forth.

5. In a milking machine, a teat cup having an inflatable lining and closed at the lower end, means for supplying fluid under ressure to and exhausting the inflatable inin means for applying suction at the close lower end of the teat cup, and an individual valve for each teat cu mounted thereon and controlling the in ation and deflation of the teat cu lining and the suction on and relief on t e lower end of the teat cup, substantially as set forth. y

6. The combination in a milking machine of a set of teat cups, each having a ilexible lining dividing the interior of the cup into a series of fluid receiving chambers, and a teat receiving chamber, a closure for the lower end of the. teat chamber, a vacuum receptacle, a'connectin tube between the teat receiving chamber 0% the teat cup and the vacuum receptacle, means for introducin fluid into and removing it from the lui chambers of the teat cup, individual valves for each teat cup controlling the suction and the fluid supply thereto, and means for operatingsaid va ves by fluid pressure, substantially asset forth.

7 The combination in a milking machine of a rigid teat cup shell having a tubular extension at its lower end, a plurality of inatable tubes lying around the inner wall of the teat cup and encircling rthe teat chamber thereof, a funnel-shaped closure for the lower end of the teatchamber slidably mounted in the tubular extension and ada ted to be adjusted into a osition in tie chamber within the area o l the inflatable tubes, means for inflating and exhausting the inflatable tubes, and means for applying suction tothe funnel-shaped closure, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of a rigid 'teat cup shell, a lurality of inflatable tubes lying around t e inner wall of the shell and encircling the teat cup chamber thereof, a funnel-shaped closure for the lower end of the teat cup chamber and adjustable to a position within the lower end of the teat cup 'chamber and within the area of the inflatable tubes, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have aiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 29th day of Aug. 1907.

JOHN L. HULBERT.

Witnesses:

W. N. ROBERTS, ELIAS W. JONES. 

